Rotary table



A. H. BELL ROTARY TABLE Nov. 13, 1951 Filed May 6, 1946 9- INVENTOR.ALEXANDER H.BELL

BY 04W Y'IWd/M ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UITED STATES OFFICEROTARY TABLE Alexander H. Bell, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor toContinental ()il Company, Ponca Gity, Okla, a corporation of DelawareApplication May 6, 1946, Serial No. 667,705

12 Claims.

' and by which the drill stem and the bit at the lower end thereof arerotated.

During the normal drilling operation it frequently becomes necessary topull the drilling string, this being accomplished by stepwise elevatingthe drill string, uncoupling the lengths thereof progressively exposedby such stepwise elevation, and then finally removing the bit itself.During such pulling operation it becomes necessary to hold the drillstring suspended in the hole while a length just pulled is uncoupled.

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a rotary tablestructure having a bushing assembly therein which may be changed by amere manipulation of levers, first to securely and non-rotatably engagethe kelly so that as the table is rotated the drill string is rotated;second to engage and hold the drill string during the pulling operationreferred to; and third to provide sufiicient clearance so that when thedrill string has been pulled, the bushing will provide suflicientclearance for the bit or other accouterments attached to the drillstring such as couplings and the like.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said inventionthen comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexeddrawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of theinvention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the variousways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view partially in section of an apparatusconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the cylindrical bushing members forminga part of the structure shown in Fig. 1 and positioned so as to show oneof the faces thereof in a full front view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the member illustrated in Fig.2, taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 33;

Fig. 4 is a view of the same element shown in Fig. 2 but with adifferent face thereof presented as a full front view;

Fig. 5 is still another view of the element illustrated in Fig. 2 withyet another of its faces presented as a full front view;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged part sectional view of the forward face of thestructure illustrated in Fig. 5 showing the mode of mounting the slipspresent in such face;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of that portion of the structureillustrated in Fig. 6 taken on a plane substantially indicated by theline 1-1; and

Fig. 8 is a part section part plan view of the right-hand end of the twocylindrical members as illustrated in Fig. 1, showing particularly theconstruction of the locking mechanism associated therewith.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing and more especially toFig. 1, the assembly here illustrated comprises a stationary basegenerally indicated at I and which is adapted to be supported on theground or on a platform over the area within which the well is to bedrilled. On the upper surface of such base I there is a ballrace 2 inwhich will be positioned a plurality of roller bearings (not shown) bywhich the rotary body 3 of the table is supported on the base I. Therotary body 3 is provided with a depending annular skirt 4 which hasclose fitting engagement with the inner periphery of a complementaryskirt 5 on the base I and by which the member 3 is maintained centrallyof the base I.

The base I will have mounted thereon a power plant or driving mechanismgenerally indicated at 6 which has driving communication with the member3 through gear teeth formed at an appropriate place on the outside ofthe member 3.

At this point it should be noted that so much of the construction whichhas been described thus far is conventional rotary table construction,and forms no part of the present invention.

The member 3 is provided with a polygonal opening generally indicated at1, such opening having an offset as at 8 and on which is mounted a block9 having a contour or shape so as to closely fit in the opening I in themember 3. The block 9 is provided with a circular opening l0 centrallythereof, and in the walls of the block 9, surrounding such opening, arerotatably supported two horizontally disposed cylinders l l and I2.These cylinders have trunnions such as l3 projecting axially thereof andby which they are rotatably supported in bearing openings in the block9. The cylindrical members II and I2 have meshing spur gears such as I4on one end so that as one of the members is rotated, the other memberwill rotate synchronously therewith but in the opposite direction. 7

One of the members such as II has a bevel gear I5 secured thereto andwhich is in mesh with a segmental bevel pinion I6 carried by the lowerend of a vertically extending shaft II. It will be observed that as theshaft I1 is rotated, the member II will be rotated in a selecteddirection and then through the meshing spur gears I4 the other member I2will be rotated a similar amount but in the opposite direction.

The cylindrical members I I and I2 are mounted so as to be substantiallyin contact. Each of such members has provided on its face three relievedareas. These relieved areas extend chordwise of the cylindrical bodiesand are formed in complementary pairs, one each of such pairs being onthe member II and theo ther of such pair being on the member I2. Thelocation of such complementary pairs on the peripheries of the membersII and I2 is such that as the cylindrical members are rotated under theinfluence of the shaft II, such pairs of complementary relieved areasare progressively and sequentially brought into opposition so as todefine an opening through the bushing depending upon the cross-sectionalconfiguration of the relieved areas.

The relieved area indicated at I8 and shown in full front face view inFig. 2 on the member II is, in the illustrated embodiment of myinvention, cylindrical in cross-section with a diameter or radiussufficiently great so that when the two such relieved areas are inopposition a cylindrical opening is provided through the bushing ofsufficient size so as to permit the passage therethrough of the drillbit or other accouterments carried by the drill string.

The relieved area I9 on member I I shown most clearly in Fig. 4 istriangular so that when the two relieved areas I9 are brought intoopposition they will define a rectangular or square opening of such sizeas to closely embrace the Kelly stem.

The fiat faces of each of the triangular relieved areas I9 may haverollers such as mounted thereon so as to facilitate movement downwardlyof the Kelly stem during rotation of the table and as the depth of thewell increases.

The openings 2I, one of which is shown in member I I in Fig. 5, arelikewise preferably semicylindrical in form so that when opposed theydefine a cylindrical opening. However, on the wells of the members IIand I2 defining the relieved areas 2| there are mounted toothed slipmembers 22 which are held slidably by means of a dove-tailed block 23and prevented from becoming disassembled by means of a stop block 24. Incross section, and as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, the slips 22are arcuate so that when they move axially of the opening in the bushingprovided by the relieved areas 2| their inclined faces will move axiallytoward the drill stem with the serrated faces thereof in engagement withthe stem so as to hold the latter in a suspended position during theuncoupling step previously referred to.

Each of the members II and I2 is provided on its outer surface at itsend opposite the gear I4 with a plurality of notches 25. These notchesare arranged on the transverse center line of each of the openings I8,I9 and 2| respectively. In other words, when the members II and I2 arerotated so as to bring a selected pair of relieved areas intoopposition, there will also be brought into opposition a pair of notches25.

In the wall of the block 9, diametrically opposite the area wherein aresupported the trunnions I3 adjacent the gears I4, is mounted a slideblock 1 2B of such size as to closely fit in the notches 25. When theslide block 26 is moved into an opposed pair of notches 25, thecylindrical members II and I2 will be locked in that position.

The latch bar 26 carries a pin 27 which extends into a slotted hole intoan arm 28 secured to a vertically disposed shaft 29 which extendsupwardly out of the block 9.

The various parts such as the cylindrical members II and I2 and theassociated mechanism just described may be assembled in the block 9 byhaving the latter made sectional, the division occurring preferably on acentral parting line generally indicated at 30 in Fig. l. The partingline 39 will intersect the opening It] so that the block 9 and themechanism associated therewith may beassembled prior to the block 9being dropped into th polygonal opening 21.

When in use, the improved rotary table comprising my invention may beutilized as follows: Let it first be assumed that a Well has beendrilled to an incomplete depth and the drilling string has been removedand the rotary table is in position on the drilling platform. The rod 29will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8 soas to retract the latch bar 26. The shaft I1 is then rotated effecting arotation of the cylindrical members I I and I2 until visual inspectionshows that the larger relieved areas I8 are opposite each otherwhereupon the shaft 29 will be rotated in a clockwise direction movingthe latch bar 25 into the aligned openings on the contacting faces ofthe members II and I2. There is now provided an opening through therotary table bushing sufficient to admit the drill bit and the drillingstring, which will be lowered through the bushing by means of the usualderrick apparatus. As soon as the first length of drill string has beenthus lowered in position and it becomes necessary to couple a new lengththereto and take a new hitch on the derrick, the latch bar 26 isretracted so asto permit the shaft I! to rotate the cylindrical membersII and I2 until the relieved areas 2|, or more specifically the slips22, are brought into engagement with the drill string. When this hasbeen done, the cylindrical members II and I2 are again latched by meansof the latch bar 26 and in this position the bushing will hold suspendedthe drill string permitting a new length to be coupled thereto and a newhitch to be made between the new length and the derrick.

This operation is repeated as many times as necessary and then, duringthe final step, the Kelly stem is attached. After the Kelly stem hasbeen attached, the cylindrical members I! and I2 are rotated to bringthe opposed relieved areas I9 into opposition, i. e. into engagementwith the opposite sides of the Kelly stem, whereupon the cylindricalmembers II and I2 will be latched by the bar 26, and then the drillingoperation can be resumed by rotating the rotary table or morespecifically the ring 3 thereof.

When pulling a drilling string either during the drilling operation orat the completion of the drilling operation, the procedural steps justoutlined will, of course, be performed in the reverse order.

It will be observed that it is within the contemplation of my inventionto provide power means for the rotation of shaft IT by which thecylindrical members II and I2 may be rotated.

Similarly if desired, power means may be applied to the shaft 29 forpower actuation of the locking bar 26.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of suchbe employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. In well drilling apparatus, horizontal rotatable members, means formounting and surrounding the same including a rotary table assemblytherewith, the whole not substantially higher than the rotatablemembers, and means for rotating said members to position the same forinterlocking relation with the opposite sides of an elongated membersubsequently inserted therebetween.

2. In well drilling apparatus, horizontal rotatable members, means formounting and surrounding the same including a rotary table assemblytherewith, the whole not substantially higher than the rotatablemembers, said rotatable members respectively provided on theirperipheries with a plurality of complementary relieved areas ofdifferent configuration and means for rotating said members tosequentially position said complementary relieved areas into oppositionand accordingly selectively provide different openings through said bodyof significantly different cross-sections.

3. In well drilling apparatus, horizontal rotatable members, means formounting and surrounding the same including a rotary table assemblytherewith, the whole not substantially higher than the rotatablemembers, said rotatable members respectively provided On theirperipheries with a plurality of complementary relieved areas ofdifferent configuration and means for rotating said members tosequentially position said complementary relieved areas into oppositionand accordingly selectively provide different openings through said bodyof significantly different cross-sections, one such crosssection being apolygon.

4. In well drilling apparatus, horizontal rotatable members, means formounting and surrounding the same including a rotary table assemblytherewith, the whole not substantially higher than the rotatablemembers, said rotatable members respectively provided on theirperipheries with a plurality of complementary relieved areas ofdifferent configuration and means for rotating said members tosequentially position said complementary relieved areas into oppositionand accordingly selectively provide different openings through said bodyof significantly different cross-section, one such crosssection being acircle.

5. In well drilling apparatus, horizontal rotatable members, means formounting and surrounding the same including a rotary table assemblytherewith, the whole not substantially higher than the rotatablemembers, said rotatable members respectively provided on theirperipheries with a plurality of complementary relieved areas ofdifferent configuration and means for rotating said members tosequentially position said complementary relieved areas into oppositionand accordingly selectively provide different openings through said bodyof significantly diiferent cross-sections, one such crosssection being apolygon and another such crosssection being a circle.

6. In well drilling apparatus, horizontal rotatable members, means formounting and surrounding the same including a rotary table assemblytherewith, the whole not substantially higher than the rotatablemembers, said rotatable members respectively provided on theirperipheries with a plurality of complementary relieved areas ofdifferent configuration, means for rotating said members to sequentiallyposition said complementary relieved areas into opposition andaccordingly selectively provide dif-' ferent openings through said bodyof significantly different cross-sections, and serrated work engagingjaws supported on the opposed faces of said rotatable members formingone of said openings.

'7. A rotary tablet useful in well drilling comprising a stationary basemember, a rotatable body movably supported on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a vertical opening extending coaxially throughsaid body, a pair of rotat able members supported in and lying withinthe vertical thickness of and being surrounded by said body with theaxes thereof respectively on opposite sides of the vertical axis of saidvertical opening, parallel to each other, and substantially at rightangles to said vertical axis, the peripheries of said rotatable membersprovided with a plurality of pairs of complementary faces extendingchordwise thereof and when brought into 0pposed relation upon relativerotational positions of said rotatable members, defining verticalpassages of significantly different cross-sections respectively, andmeans for rotating said rotatable members to sequentially bring saidpairs of faces into opposed relation.

8. A rotary table useful in well drilling comprising a stationary basemember, a rotatable body movably supported on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a vertical opening extending coaxially throughsaid body, a pair of rotatable members supported in and lying within thevertical thickness of and being surrounded by said body with the axesthereof respectively on opposite sides of the vertical axis of saidvertical opening, parallel to each other, and substantially at rightangles to said vertical axis, the peripheries of said. rotatable membersprovided with a plurality of pairs of complementary faces extendingchordwise thereof and when brought into opposed relation upon relativerotational positions of said rotatable members, defining verticalpassages of significantly different cross-sections respectively, meansfor rotating said rotatable members to sequentially bring said pairs offaces into opposed relation and means for locking said rotatable membersagainst rotation at each relative position thereof when said pairs offaces are respectively in opposition.

9. .A rotary table useful in well drilling comprising a stationary basemember, a rotatable body movably supported on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a vertical opening extending coaxially throughsaid body, a pair of substantially cylindrical members rota'tablysupported in and lying within the vertical thickness of and beingsurrounded by said body with the axes thereof respectively on oppositesides of the vertical axis of said vertical opening, parallel to eachother, substantially at right angles to said vertical axis and spaced sothat their peripheral surfaces are substantially in contact, theperipheries of said cylindrical members provided with a plurality ofpairs of complementary relieved areas extending chordwise thereof andwhen brought into opposed relation upon relative rotational positions ofsaid cylindrical members, defining vertical passages respectivelyadapted to close fittingly accommodate a drill pipe, a Kelly stem andprovide an opening for the passage therethrough of the variousaccouterments of a drill stern, means for rotating said cylindricalmembers to sequentially bring said pairs of relieved areas into opposedrelation and means for locking said cylindrical members against rotationat each relative position thereof when said pairs of relieved areas arerespectively in opposition.

10. In well-drilling apparatus for operation of a rotary drill, meansfor rotating the drill including a base member and a rotatable bodythereon for rotation about a vertical axis, a vertical opening throughsaid body, and a pair of rotatable members supported by and lying withinthe vertical thickness or" said body parallel to each other with theiraxes respectively on opposite sides of said vertical opening andsubstantially at right angles to said vertical axis, the peripheries ofsaid parallel rotatable members having a plurality of pairs ofcomplementary faces extending chord-wise thereof and when in opposedrelation defining vertical passages of different cross section, one suchpair of complementary faces forming a polygonal opening and carryingrollers to facilitate downward movement of the drill while beingrotated.

11. In well-drilling apparatus for operation of a rotary drill, meansfor rotating and controlling the suspension of the drill including abase member and a rotatable body thereon for rotation about a verticalaxis, a vertical opening through said body, and a pair of rotatablemembers supported by and lying within the vertical thickness of saidbody parallel to each other with their axes respectively on oppositesides of said vertical opening and substantially at right angles to saidvertical axis, the peripheries of said parallel rotatable members havinga plurality of pairs of complementary faces extending chord-wise thereofand when in opposed relation defining vertical passages of differentcross section, one such pair of complementary faces forming acylindrical opening, toothed slip members slidably held on the faces ofsaid opening by dovetail mounting, and a stop block for preventingdisassembly of each toothed slip member.

12. In well-drilling apparatus for operation of a rotary drill, meansfor rotating the drill including a base member and a rotatable bodythereon for rotation about a vertical axis, a vertical opening throughsaid body, and a pair of rotatable members supported by and lying withinthe vertical thickness of said body parallel to each other with theiraxes respectively on opposite sides of said vertical opening andsubstantially at right angles to said vertical axis, the peripheries ofsaid parallel rotatable members having a plurality of pairs ofcomplementary faces extending chord-wise thereof and when in opposedrelation defining vertical passages of different cross section, one suchpair of complementary faces forming a polygonal opening and carryingrollers to facilitate downward movement of the drill while beingrotated, another such pair of complementary faces forming a cylindricalopening, toothed slip members slidaicly held on the faces of saidopening by dovetail mounting, a stop block for preventing disassembly ofeach toothed slip member, and another pair of said complementary facesforming a cylindrical opening large enough to permit passagetherethrough of the drill bit.

ALEXANDER H. BELL.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UBEITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 294,736 I-Iyle Mar. 4, 18841,067,330 Griffin July 15, 1913 1,508,590 Boykin, Jr. Sept. 16, 19241,749,809 Greve Mar. 11, 1930 1,936,139 Montgomery Nov. 21, 19331,938,019 Hild Dec. 5, 1933

